Tag: Review

YA cyber thriller, ReWIRED, by Shelli Johannes-Wells (writing as S.R. Johannes), which offers a fresh and exciting new take on the genre, and could be described as Ally Carter’s HEIST SOCIETY meets THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO for teens.

Sixteen-year-old Ada Lovelace is never more alive and sure of herself than when she’s hacking into a “secure” network as her alter ego, the Dark Angel. In the real world, Ada is broken, reeling from her best friend Simone’s recent suicide. But online, the reclusive daughter of Senator Lovelace (champion of the new Online Privacy Bill) is a daring white hat hacker and the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group responsible for a string of high-profile hacks against major corporations, with a mission to protect the little guy. Ada is swiftly proving she’s a force to be reckoned with, when a fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI. To protect her father’s career, Ada is sent to ReBoot, a technology rehab facility for teens…the same rehab Simone attended right before killing herself.

It’s bad enough that the ReBoot facility is creepy in an Overlook-Hotel-meets-Winchester-Mansion way, but when Ada realizes Simone’s suicide is just one in an increasingly suspicious string of “accidental” deaths and “suicides” occurring just after kids leave ReBoot, Ada knows she can’t leave without figuring out what really happened to her best friend. The massive cyber conspiracy she uncovers will threaten everything she cares about–her dad’s career, her new relationship with a wry, handsome, reformed hacker who gets under her skin, and most of all–the version of herself Ada likes best–the Dark Angel.

With a deliciously twisty plot, the topical bite of Cory Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER, ReWIRED delves into technology addiction, internet privacy, and corporate/government collection of data, as it vividly illuminates the universally human questions about ethics, privacy, and self-definition that both underpin these socio-political issues and dovetail with classic coming-of-age themes. Ultimately, ReWIRED is about the daily choices we all make about who we want to be, how much of ourselves we choose to share with others, and the terrifying risks and exhilarating rewards of being ourselves, online and off.

S.R. Johannes is the award-winning author of the Amazon bestselling Nature of Grace thriller series (Untraceable, Uncontrollable, and Unstoppable). She is a winner of the IndieReader Discovery Award in YA, an IPPY a Silver Medalist for YA Fiction, a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Young Adult Fiction, and a Finalist in US Book News Best YA Book.
Since leaving Corporate America, she has followed her passion for writing and conservation by working with The Dolphin Project, the Atlanta Zoo, other animal rescue organizations, and by weaving conservation themes into her books.

Currently, she lives in Atlanta, GA with hEnglish-accented husband and the huge imaginations of their prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.

ARC of Rewired provided through Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review.

Rewired was such a great read and completely unpredictable. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

So first of all the idea of a teenage hacker chick immediately got my attention! But Ada is so much more than that. Sure she has some serious skill when it comes to hacking and getting information, the definition of a nerdy badass but she hides behind all of that. Deep down she’s scared, and lonely. When I found out her best friend I really felt so bad for her. Then to discover that most of her friend’s suicide was a mystery, it was easy to understand how that could mess with someone’s head. Through it all though, Ada did not let her personal feelings and worries cripple her. She pushed through it, even with all the cards stacked against her. I admired her tenacity and her over all character. Ada Lovelace is definitely the kind of heroine I support.

The entire story as a whole was so twisted, not just in the dark-teens-dying sense but in the way that there were so many twists and turns to the investigation. I could never guess what was going to happen next, and that may not seem like a big thing to some, but having a story that is unpredictable should be #BookGoals!

I loved the cast as well. Everyone has such different characters and they all were so wild. With out them, this book would have been seriously missing out. Some were colorful, some were dark, some made you just want to give them a big hug, but no matter what, each of them made a good suspect. That was the thing with this book, I started looking at everyone as a suspect in this mystery, but as stated before, I never saw the ending coming.

Credit must be given to the setting of this book as well. I felt like the Reboot facility was an entity of its own and really added a nice spooky element to the story. It reminded me so much of the Winchester Mansion which was a real bonus for me. I love spooky and haunted places, and though Reboot is not described as haunted, it was still super enjoyable.

If you are looking for a book that is one of a kind and will leave you guessing the entire time then you need to check out Rewired! It’ll make you laugh, make you gasp, and maybe even make you cry, but you will enjoy every minute of it, I promise!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Danielle effed up. Big time.

Danielle’s plans for the future were pretty easy to figure out… until she failed senior English and her single college application was denied. Suddenly she’s in hot water with very few options, because honestly who applies to a safety school when their mom is a semi-famous “college psychic”?!

Determined to get her life back on track, Danielle enrolls in her hometown community college with a plan: pass her English class and get back into Ohio State and her mother’s good graces. Romance isn’t on her radar… until she reconnects with her childhood crush and golden-boy-next-door, Luke.

Between family drama, first love and finding her own way, Danielle can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. Thankfully she has her friendship with the snarky and frustratingly attractive Porter, her coworker at the campus bookstore, to push her to experience new things and help keep her afloat.

ARC of The Big F was provided through NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading The Big F. It had so many layers that really kept it interesting, even when it had pages that felt like a slow part of the story, they still held my attention.

Danielle was such a great character and I really enjoyed reading her journey. In the beginning of the story, she seemed very timid and stressed out. She was so worried about failing her class and she truly looked at it as family her mom. My heart broke for because no child should feel like they are such a monumental disappointment to their parents. Her mother just ticked me off more because all she did was prove that Denialle had a reason to worry. That woman needed to be put in her place.

As the story went on Danielle started making her own decisions and her own plan. She took risks and refused to give up. I was so proud of her character and loved watching her grow. This was definitely her coming of age story and I loved it so much. So many time’s books like these focus mostly on the romance and even though there was plenty of romance, this book was ultimately about Danielle. I think that’s what made The Big F such a great read for me.

So if you are looking for a coming of age tale, with some romance, but an amazing comeback character then you need to read The Big F. It will warm your soul inside and out.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Matt Nolan is the high school drug dealer, deadbeat, and soon-to-be dropout according to everyone at his school. His vice principal is counting down the days until Mr. 60% (aka Matt) finally flunks out and is no longer his problem. What no one knows is the only reason Matt sells drugs is to take care of his uncle Jack, who is dying of cancer.

Meet Amanda. The overly cheerful social outcast whose optimism makes Matt want to hurl. Stuck as partners during an after-school club (mandatory for Matt), it’s only a matter of time until Amanda discovers Matt’s secret. But Amanda is used to dealing with heartbreak, and she’s determined to help Matt find a way to give life 100 percent.

ARC of Mr. 60% provided through NetGalley for an honest review.

First starting this book I was immediately put off. The writing felt as if it was lacking a lot of emotion and I felt like I was being told Matt’s actions rather than his deep down feelings. That being said, I’m glad I read the whole book.

Matt was a moody, surly, sarcastic teenage boy. Unlike most teenage boys he was also the sole care provider for his Uncle Jack. He deals drugs to his class mates with the goal of being able to financially support the two of them. His whole life is so sad, and though I didn’t feel like I got as many details about his feelings as I wanted, my heart still managed to break for him. The poor guy had the whole world on his shoulders, but he stayed as tough as nails. Even when the school vice principal was acting like an over grown child, Matt didn’t let it affect him.

In comes Amanda. She’s an outcast with an over whelming sunny disposition. I really loved her spirit and her fight. Even if someone, Matt, was acting like an ass to her, she still held her ground. No matter what she was going to do what she felt was right. Good for you Amanda!

As I mentioned above I’m surprised how much I liked this book in the end. I felt the beginning was so emotionless but as I read it got better. I’m not entirely sure if that’s because the writing style changed or because you just can’t help but feel for Matt and his situation. Either way, the concept, story, plot, and overwhelming situation that Matt pushed through made this book really great. If you don’t mind a bit of a sad read then you should give Mr. 60% a try.

Synopsis:

You don’t become the fiancé of one of the most powerful crime lords in the city without understanding exactly how gritty and depraved the world truly is… and how to thrive in the inferno.

After five years spent under his controlling thumb, Daniela knows her position with a man like Vincent Stacatto is precarious, but as long as she plays by the rules of his “game”, she’s safe…

Until she’s taken by the devil.

Kidnapped by a rival boss, Daniela becomes a pawn between two powerful forces and just another casualty in a bloody game of chess. But to get to the top, and stay at the top, you have to fight dirty and hold nothing back, because the most dangerous piece on the board isn’t the King.

Copy of Crescendo provided through Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review.

For the first time, I think I am at a loss for words. What in the hell did I just read?

Okay okay, first things first. This book has a LOT of triggers. It’s in my personal opinion that it is not meant for the faint of heart. There is a lot of violence, several instances of rape, and so much more I just can’t list it all. To call this book a romance novel doesn’t fit, in fact, it’s hard for me to find any genre that this book would truly fit under because it really is so different from anything I’ve ever read. Crescendo is dark and twisted but suspenseful and attention grabbing too. But for those who are looking for sappy mushy romance, this is not the book for you, there are no “I love you’s” on these pages.

Daniela is a complex character who doesn’t even know who she truly is after spending five years in hell with her “fiancé”. Through out the book, she even refers to herself by all the different names that she’s been called as if they are different people. But who can blame her, she’s been through something few could ever imagine.

Dante was just as complicated. He was raw and ruthless and was more animal than man 90% of the time. I never could guess what he was going to do next. Evening reading is POV I would think I knew where his thoughts were going and then he proved me wrong.

The combination of the two had me on the edge of my seat unable to expect anything except the unexpected.

This book was so nitty gritty, violent, and thrilling. You have a crime lord who is truly the definition of evil. But you also have a lot of other players who are all ruthless and vicious in their own ways. It was hard to pin point where to expect the next attack. Which was just one of the things that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this book, but only for those that feel they can handle it. Not everyone is meant to read a book this raw, and that’s okay. But if you’re up for the challenge and you like stories that are dark and twisted than don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

Goodreads Synopsis:

1) Take things slow (her rule)
2) Make it believable (his rule)

After tragedy hit her family, Meg Matthews officially crossed the line from “good girl” to “bad girl.” Motorcycle? Check. Graffiti? Check. The only thing Meg hadn’t planned on was blackmail. Too bad now a certain infuriating boy holds Meg’s future in his hands…

When Luke Prescott—star pitcher and town golden boy—catches Meg vandalizing the school, she’s given two choices: face the consequences or enter into a fake relationship with him to get his parents and his ex off his back.

But as Meg and Luke grow closer, they both realize they’ve been keeping secrets from each other. Their fake relationship might be doomed from the start—if they can’t learn to open up to the one person they never thought they’d trust.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains late-night graffiti sessions, flirty baseball lessons, and a never-ending list of relationship rules just made to be broken.

ARC of The Rules of Persuasion provided through NetGalley for an honest review.

I LOVED The Rules of Persuasion! This story never had a dull moment which made it impossible to put down.

First, you have Meg, who is dealing with a serious family tragedy and tries to cope by driving around town on her motorcycle, spray painting graffiti. Even though her doing all this was the result of something so sad, I still totally dug her bad chick vibe. Underneath her tough exterior though is someone who is really sweet, funny, caring, and hurt. I felt so bad for her and wished I could jump in the book and give her a hug. I do want to say this though, the girl that is supposed to represent her on the cover is all WRONG! The cover chick should be wearing some bike leathers and some boots.

With Luke, I had a feeling right away that he wasn’t going to be what Meg thought he was. He seemed to be perfect, but when it came to his family life, I felt almost as bad for him as I did Meg. Luke was a sweetheart though, even if he was making jackhole decisions, like blackmailing her. He had a few moments in the book where he needed to be put in his place and I was so relieved that he realized that as well. In the long run, he really was a great guy.

Meg and Luke’s whole dynamic had me hooked from the second they bumped into each other, literally. The whole thing was like an exciting game of cat and mouse, where the cat already had the mouse by the tail. With the added drama of parents and a crazy ex-girlfriend, it was insane not to love this book. The chemistry and sparks practically flew off of each page, along with a lot of snarky banter and quick witted comments, those are always the best. Five stars to you, Amity Hope!

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rebel Hart should be at home taking care of her father after his breakup with his boyfriend, not tromping through the woods at summer camp. He’s had his heart broken beyond repair, and the way she sees it, there’s only one person to blame—the boyfriend’s son. So when that infuriatingly gorgeous quarterback turns up at the same camp, she plans to make him pay.
Justice Brody isn’t happy about trading training camp for actual summer camp. But if he wants to stay on the football team, he has to show that he can be drama-free. He welcomes the anonymity that comes with summer camp…until he realizes the one girl who knows him better than anyone is there, too. Rebel is off-limits, impossibly beautiful…and trouble with a capital T. Still, he can’t stay away. And even as Rebel exacts her revenge, in several very embarrassing and painful ways, neither can she.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains pranks, adult language, and kisses that will make you wish for a summer romance of your own.

ARC of Taming the Rebel was provided through NetGalley for an honest review.

Taming the Rebel was a unique read for me. I have never read a book that involved summer camp or having gay parents, it just wasn’t something I had come across before. But both of these really gave this book a twist that kept me interesting all the way through.

Rebel is definitely one of a kind, and she owns it. She’s not afraid to be who she is, which entails a few twisted interests, a skill for being prepared, a strong sassy attitude, and being the daughter of a gay father. Rebel is proud of it all and I love that about her. She is such a strong character that you can’t help but admire and respect. Her only flaw is the walls she’s built up around her heart, but honestly, you can’t blame her for that.

Justice was just as interesting because he was so much more than just a football player, though that was a big part of him. He has a past that makes him so different from other jocks, and like Rebel, his father is gay too. Unfortunately, that fact seems to be something he has a harder time dealing with, along with missing training camp. It’s great to watch as he sorts his feelings about his father’s sexuality, his future in football, how to handle drama and the ever alluring Rebel.

If you’ve never been to summer camp but always wanted to then you should check this book out. While reading it I felt like I was there myself, experiencing the great outdoors, camp counselors, bonfires, pranks and summer love. I truly couldn’t put this book down, but if I’m being honest I felt like it was missing something. I’m not quite sure what, maybe it just needed a little more…. I don’t know, something. More something. No matter what though it was still an awesome read and I definitely recommend it. Tthe chemistry between Rebel and Justice was off the charts. Mix that with their witty banter and fun pranks, and you’ll be just as hooked as I was.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The only thing worse than not being able to tell your best friend you’re head over heels in love with him? Having to smile and nod when he enlists your help to ensnare the girl of his dreams.

Braylen didn’t even want to go to Lennon Pryor’s epic graduation-night party, but when Fynn begs her to be his “wingwoman,” she can’t deny him. Talking up her BFF—how he’s magic behind a camera, with a killer sense of humor and eyelashes that frame the most gorgeous blue eyes in the history of forever—is easy. Supporting his efforts to woo someone so completely wrong for him? Not so much.

Fynn knows that grad night is his last shot before leaving for college to find true love. And thanks to Bray, he gets his chance with the beautiful Katy Evans. But over the course of the coolest party of their high school careers, he starts to see that perhaps what he really wants has been in front of him all along. Bray’s been his best friend since kindergarten, though, and he’d rather have her in his life as a friend than not at all.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains one epic party, complete with every high-schoolers-gone-bad shenanigan, and two best friends whose sexual chemistry is off the charts…if only they’d succumb to it.

ARC of Love in the Friends Zone was provided through NetGalley for an honest Review!

I could not put Love in the Friend Zone down! This was such an entertaining read that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. In a lot of ways it reminded me of the 1998 movie “Can’t Hardly Wait”, but with a twist.

Braylen is my kind of chick! She’s nerdy and loves all things star wars, zombies, and super heroes. But she’s not some shy girl either, she’s quick witted and obviously comfortable with just being herself. Honestly, I loved and related to her character so much, even when she was being stubborn as hell.

Fynn was pretty cool to even though he was completely oblivious. I mean even a blind man could see the chemistry between him and Braylen. Other than that issue Flynn was totally swoon worthy, even though some would describe him as kind of a nerd as well. But hey who says nerds can’t be hot? So what if he liked photography, and making Yoda shaped pancakes. He also really looked out for Braylen, and went above and beyond to be the one person she could always rely on.

A big shot out needs to be made for the party that takes place in this book along with those that attended it. It truly sounded like an epic night full of drinking, music, last shots at love, guys jumping from balconies, a dream pool, and a huge friendly dog. One can only hope to experience a party as epic as this one at least once in their lifetime.

I think there also needs to be something said for the awesome friends in this book! They really try their best give both Braylen and Fynn advice through out this whole thing, even friends they just met that night. Plus there’s Bray’s friend Zoey, who words can not describe. In fact, there’s a little blurb at the end that announces a book just for Zoey’s night at this epic party. I know I for one will be grabbing a copy of that as soon as it is available.

So if there is one thing you should take away from this review is that Love in the Friend Zone is an awesome book and a must read! You will really be missing out if you don’t check it out.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Most sixteen-year-olds shouldn’t know where museums keep their rarest jewels (the basement) and they really shouldn’t know that vans make the worst getaway cars. But for Marisol Flores, a life of jewel thievery is a birthright handed down from generation to generation, even if she didn’t ask for it. So when a rival thief targets Mari and her mother, Mari’s more than happy to flee to the anonymity of bustling New York City.

Blending in is a dream come true for Mari, but keeping her former thieving ways a secret gets way more complicated when handsome Will Campbell sets his sights on her. She can’t help but like his terrible puns and charming grin…but when her past catches up with her, it’s not only her life—and her anonymity—that’s at stake.

ARC for Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief was provided through NetGalley for an honest review.

Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief had excited me right away with the synopsis and beautiful cover, and even though it wasn’t what I expected it was still a really great read.

Mari’s character was something special and not just because she was a thief. For some reason I expected her to be extremely confident given the fact that she’s a skilled thief and has traveled all over. In actuality, she was confident when it came to her thieving skills but when it came to social situations, she was completely clueless. I felt like the two sides to her were so drastically different that it helped make her a really deep and interesting character. Through it all, no matter how scared or worried she was, she stayed tough and sassy. Even when Will, who literally made her want to melt, was flirting and getting so close she could hardly think.

One of the small highlights for me was Mari’s relationship with her Mom. Yes, they were thieves, but they were also mother and daughter. I loved how they never lost sight of that also put each other before anything else. Family was what really mattered to them, and it showed.

The only thing I wished it had more of was the actual stealing, but I understood that it really wasn’t needed for where the storyline was going. Still, it would have been an extra layer of fun. Also, considering she comes from a long line of jewel thieves, it would have been cool to get a closer look at her interesting family.

Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief will have you hooked from the very first page, I know it did me. With page after page of romance, action, and adventure, I can promise you it’s worth the read.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Scarlett Stiles is desperate for a change of scenery after her older brother, Liam, dies of a drug overdose. But spending the summer with her grandfather wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Luckily, Scarlett finds something to keep her busy–a local rock band looking for a guitarist. Even though playing guitar has been hard since Liam died, Scarlett can’t pass on an opportunity like this, and she can’t take her eyes off the band’s hot lead singer either. Is real happiness just around the corner? Or will she always be haunted by her brother’s death?

ARC of All the Wrong Chords provided through NetGalley for an Honest Review.

All the Wrong Chords is a very interesting story. Scarlett loses her brother to a drug overdose and decides to spend the summer before going off to college with her grandfather. While there she joins a band and finds out some things about herself, her brother, and her feelings for a certain boy.

Scarlett is a great character who goes through a great coming of age journey. For the most part, she knows who she is and is pretty confident with it. Sometimes she questions herself but I think that’s all a part of a coming of age story. Reading about her losing her brother and how she is dealing with his loss is truly touching. For some one who experiences such a strong loss, she does an amazing job of keeping it together. The one thing that stood out the most to me though is that she still has a lot of growing up to do. For someone who is so well put together, she does have her moments of naivety.

Some of the biggest highlights for me were Scarlett’s relationships with her family and friends. It was amazing to see how she could lean on those closest to her. The relationship with her grandfather was great too because they were able to lean on each other. She was his rock as much as he was hers. They didn’t agree on everything but it was the fact that even with their differences they still loved each other deeply. It was beautiful to read.

I won’t lie, I felt like this book had a very slow start. It wasn’t till about half way through that I really started to get into it. Once I hit that half way mark though, I couldn’t put it down. The only other complaint I have is that at that half way mark Scarlett’s feelings start to do a complete one eighty. I enjoyed the change and the direction she was starting to go in, it’s just that it literally happened over night. It felt a little strange for me for Scarlett’s feelings to go from 100 to 0 so quickly. Again though I was happy her feelings were changing. I also felt like this book could have had just a bit more drama in it to spice it up. but that’s just me.

Regardless of those minor issues, it was still a really good book and I would definitely recommend it.

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Brie’s stepfather moves the family for what he calls a new beginning, it’s not the new beginning the beautiful, yet guarded, senior would have hoped for. Brie is instantly targeted by jealous girls at her new school, and the only available seat on her bus is next to the school’s star wide receiver, Jake, who for some reason, finds her offensive. After a humiliating article and picture of Brie is posted in the online school journal, a demon she thought she’d overcome resurfaces, and her life unravels. A newly compassionate Jake has finally taken an interest in her, but can Brie learn to trust her heart, or will she miss out on the best thing that ever happened to her?

Jake has his own secrets and has built his own walls, but eventually his curiosity about the new girl gets the best of him. Unfortunately, now there is competition: the captain of her cross-country team. Jake’s romantic histories with the girl next door and the school’s queen bee, adds tension to a simmering tempest when all he wants is Brie. Is he strong enough to help the one he loves weave sense into her crumbling new reality while overcoming his own tainted past?

Received a free copy for an honest review.

Sublime Karma is a great read for anyone who enjoys reading about the high school food chain. There is bullying and a great example of kids creating cliques to divide the student population. Than there is young love, which is always a plus with me.

I will warn that there are some sensitive topics in this book that may be tough for some readers.

The character of Brie was very interesting. I didn’t expect her to be so shy or timid and though its not something I would normally look for in a character, it worked for her. Brie struggled with a lot in life weather it was at home or at school. I understood right away why she had so many issues but sometimes she got on my nerve. I felt like she overreacted to a few things and I know that it was because of her issues but I couldn’t help but feel like some of it was just over the top.

Jake on the other hand was great but I had my frustrations with him to. I loved the way he was with his family and his friends. He never seemed fake or said something just to make someone feel better. He stood up for what he believed in which was great. The only thing is I felt like his emotions for the girls in this book were all over the place.

This really was a good book but I had my own issues with it. I felt like there was so much going on, and so many different love triangles that it was hard to keep up. Sometimes I had to go back a few pages to make sure I didn’t miss something. The worse thing for me is that the ending felt very unfinished to me, I was left with so many unanswered questions. Normally having one or two questions left unanswered isn’t that big of a deal for me. But with this book I felt there were just too many unanswered questions for me to over look. Again I know all of this sounds very negative but it was a good story. The plot its self was the main interest for me. Sublime Karma is worth a read.